He Sleeps
by LoZfan86
Summary: In the quiet of the night, he sleeps, undisturbed and for the moment, dead to the world. He exists only in dreams. But to the person watching him, he is, and will always be, much more than that. Ike/Soren friendship. One-shot.


**A/N: So this was very much a spur of the moment idea. It's nearly midnight on a Sunday night, and all of a sudden I have the urge to write something. I was listening to this song- watch?v=k-EMhA4mOXQ -and it made me think of a nice quiet night in which Soren actually gets some much needed rest. I know it's an idea that's kind of been done to death, but I wanted to do my own take on it. So I hope you guys like it! Enjoy, and don't forget to fav and leave a comment for me! :)**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Fire Emblem. All characters belong to Nintendo/Intelligent Systems.**

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He supposes that it's been about an hour since he saw the last tent's light go out, proof that all his troops were turned in for the night. He can hear the soft sound of crickets chirping outside his own tent's thin canvas walls. The wind tussles the tree branches ever so slightly, creating a taciturn rustle in the leaves. An owl adds to the ambience by making its plaintiff cry, and he can't help but think it's searching for someone. It's mate, perhaps. It cries a few more times, then eventually stops, signaling to him that the bird has found what it was looking for.

A messy pile of papers lay on the wooden surface in front of him begging to be put away. But he knows he shouldn't touch them, for fear of disorganizing them. He looks over to the kerosene lamp beside an abandoned quill. It's slowly burning out, flickering steadily. The shadow of the flame creates an enchanting dance for him on the tent wall, almost lulling him into a state of lethargy. In all honesty, he is very tired, but he can't bring himself to succumb to sleep just yet. He is far too busy appreciating this quiet moment. After all, he hasn't had one in quite some time. Lately, his mind is cluttered with too many pressing issues. And it's nice, he decides, to just be able to sit in the silence of the night, enjoying his surroundings. More importantly, he knows that in this moment, he will never appreciate the night as much as he does now.

The person occupying the bedroll that's laid out on the cold grass shifts a bit, making the slightest bit of noise. This diverts his attention, and he turns to glance at his tent mate. Worry lines are still present in his face, even in the calm of sleep. His eyebrows remain knit together, and he somehow manages to keep that cold, calculating expression of his intact.

The other man kneels down by the bedroll to examine him. Going against his better judgment, he pokes his sleeping form slightly, hoping that this will not actually wake him. Luck is on his side, as the other does not even stir. He lets out a bit of a relieved sigh, and sits back on the ground beside the bedroll.

The little mage deserves this rest so much, he thinks. He works himself far too hard all the time, trying to keep the army from falling apart. And it would fall apart, there is no doubt about that. He sighs a little, running a hand through his mess of blue hair.

"I don't know how you do it, Soren." Ike continues to gaze at the raven-haired mage's sleeping form. He watches as his small chest rises and falls in a gentle rhythm. "Running around all the time, making sure everything gets done properly. I would go insane." Ike gives a quiet chuckle, making sure to keep his volume down. "Well, you should do this more often too, you know. And don't even get me started on your eating habits." The commander heaves another sigh. "You really do need to take better care of yourself. You're always looking out for me, making sure I get a good meal and plenty of rest before a battle. Well guess what? I'm going to do the exact same for you." He hesitantly reaches out and takes the small hand that's resting by Soren's side. He can't help but feel like he's going to break it just by touching it; the mage's hand is so tiny and soft compared to his own large and calloused one. He can feel every bone as he runs a gentle thumb across the surface. "I know you don't think anyone gives a damn about you, but I do. I don't want you to die on me. Ever." He squeezes the hand a bit tighter to show his resolve, even though he knows Soren cannot feel it. "I'd never forgive myself if I let you slip away."

Soren's body shifts once more, and now Ike fears that he may have woken him. He quickly draws his hand away and scoots himself back a bit, but thankfully, Soren shows no other signs of waking. Ike breathes a sigh of relief, then resumes his previous position. He stifles a yawn as sleep threatens to knock him unconscious right then and there. He manages to keep himself awake, though, intent on watching his best friend a little longer. Soren shivers noticeably then, so Ike takes some blankets off of his own bedroll and carefully drapes them over the mage's curled up body. He smiles when he sees some of the worry in Soren's face disappear. He knows that Soren will continue to run himself into the ground. It's all he can do to feel appreciated, and of course, Ike caught onto this a long time ago. But for now, at least he can make sure nothing disturbs Soren's rest tonight, because he's not sure when he'll have this opportunity again. He makes his way over to the kerosene lamp and turns the dial ever so slowly, darkening the room bit by bit until the dancing flame is just a fond memory. He is allowed one last look at Soren's face, and now notices that it is now completely serene. "Sleep well, Soren," he whispers, a full smile taking hold of his face. He settles into his own bedroll, feeling like he did something very important tonight, as sleep takes over him almost immediately.

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 **A/N: Thanks for reading! I know, it's kinda short, but I meant for it to be. See you soon, guys! :)**


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